Tales from the German Volume I Part 2

'If thou lovest me, obey it,' implored Georgina,--and at that moment her companion approached to remind her that it was high time to return to the city.

'Fare thee well, my beloved life!' said Arwed, locking the sobbing maiden in his arms.

'Thou goest to Frederickshall?' inquired she, faintly.

'Hast thou not united the wish with my love?' asked the youth in return, and long and silently he pressed her beloved form to his bosom.

'Hasten, baroness!' anxiously entreated her companion.

Georgina finally forced herself from his embrace. 'I believe in a good G.o.d!' exclaimed she with a sort of inspiration: 'we shall meet again.'

The ladies proceeded to the boat which was waiting for them. Arwed remained standing silently on the spot where he had received Georgina's last kiss, gazing after the receding boat, until it disappeared in the shadow which the old Gothic church of the Ritterholm, behind which the moon was now rising, threw over the waters of the Malar.

CHAPTER III.

The Swedish trumpets were sounding and the drums beating an alarm, as Arwed and his groom rode into the camp before Frederickshall. In every direction the footsoldiers were parading before their barracks under arms, and the cavalry were standing by their horses, ready to mount.

With great trouble Arwed pressed his steed through the warlike throng, and finally arrived at the quarters of the king,--where he paused, looking in every direction for some one to announce him.

At length, an aged officer, in a general's uniform, came along the pa.s.sage-way between the tents, bending his steps towards the royal barrack. The sentinel at the door presented arms to him. Acknowledging the courtesy in a kindly manner, his glance fell upon Arwed. 'Do you seek any one here, my son?' asked he in a friendly tone.

'An audience of the king,' answered Arwed: 'of whom I have a personal request to make.'

'The king is now pressingly engaged,' said the general. 'The princes of Hesse and Holstein-Gottorp are with him. If you are willing to entrust your business with me I will faithfully communicate it to him.'

'I thankfully acknowledge your goodness, general,' answered Arwed. 'I am convinced that my request to be enrolled in the army might safely be confided to your hands; but I am very desirous to see the face of my king, a happiness which I have never yet enjoyed. I was not yet born when he left Stockholm.'

'Whither he has never since returned, I know,' said the general with a heavy sigh. 'You look so fresh and true hearted that I will do what you desire. Come with me.'

Arwed followed the general. The door of the royal chamber at that moment opened. A man was standing by a table, upon which were lying a bible, a map of Norway and a plan of Frederickshall. His blue, unornamented riding coat, with large bra.s.s b.u.t.tons, his narrow black neck-stock, his thin locks, which bristled in every direction, the broad yellow leather shoulder-band, from which his long sword depended, and his large cavalry boots, would have led to the conclusion that he was a subaltern officer,--but his tall, n.o.ble figure, his beautiful forehead, his large soft blue eyes, and his well formed nose, gave to his whole appearance something so majestic, and so highly distinguished him from two embroidered, starred and ribboned lords who were with him in the room, that Arwed instantly recognized his. .h.i.therto unknown king.

'The trenches opened on the fourth,' said the king, fretfully tracing upon the plan with his finger. 'They ought to be further advanced!'

'Certainly, your majesty!' answered Arwed's protector in a sad tone.

'One feels tempted to believe that he who conducts these works either cannot or will not advance them, and it must be conceded that colonel Megret understands his business.'

'I know what you would say, Duecker,' said Charles with a severe countenance. 'But I will give you a useful lesson. You must not speak ill of any one when you are speaking with your king.'

Making an effort to suppress his feelings, and followed by the scornful smile of the eldest prince, Duecker retired,--whilst the other, a youth of about Arwed's age, amused himself with examining the new comer with a far from becoming hauteur.

The king, following the glance of his nephew, perceived Arwed and advanced towards him.

'Who?' asked he with some embarra.s.sment.

'Gyllenstierna,' answered Arwed with a profound inclination: 'a Swedish n.o.bleman, who begs of your majesty that be may be permitted to fight under your banners.'

'Count Gyllenstierna?' inquired Charles, leaning on his giant sword, 'The father is a determined opponent of my administration!' said he to his brother-in-law, as Arwed bowed affirmatively, and a convulsive smile distorted the lips of his well-formed mouth.

'Yet full of devotion for his king and his native land!' earnestly interposed Arwed. 'If your majesty will but permit his son to prove it.'

The king gave him a complacent look. 'I am now about to take the battery called the Golden Lion from the Danes,' said he: 'you can remain by my side.'

'Heaven reward your majesty!' cried Arwed in ecstasies, and seized the hand of the hero to kiss it.

'I like not that,' said the king, hastily withdrawing his hand,--and at that moment adjutant general Siquier, a slender Frenchman, with a cunning but wasted face, entered the room.

'Every thing is in readiness for the attack, your majesty!' announced he.

'G.o.d with us, comrades!' exclaimed the king, putting on his immense gauntlets of yellow leather.

'This attack will cost many men!' said Duecker, in an under tone to the young duke.

'Oh!' whispered Siquier, who overheard the remark, 'a great French general under whom I once served was accustomed to say before the slaughter: 'If G.o.d will but remain neutral to-day, then shall these Messieurs be finely flogged.''

The king, who was already at the door, once more returned. 'Your great general,' said he to Siquier,--indignant at the quotation of the irreverent speech,--'spoke then like a great fool.'

With a countenance which badly concealed his rage at this unexpected reproof, Siquier cast down his eyes, and the warriors silently followed their heroic leader.

CHAPTER IV.

The entrenchments of the Golden Lion were thronged with red-coats. With the battle cry, 'G.o.d with us!' the Swedish battalions charged upon them. Then opened the battery upon its a.s.sailants, hurling death among their ranks from twenty thundering throats of fire. Unmoved, at first, the warriors saw their comrades falling on either hand, and pressed bravely onward. Now, however, the grape and canister shot of the enemy began its work of destruction, and in constantly increasing rapidity of succession sank the victims in their blood, until finally the weakened survivors gave ground and slowly retreated.

The king, surrounded by his retinue, sat upon his charger, within the range of the enemy's artillery, as quietly as if at a review. Arwed, at his side, observed this new spectacle with a spirit-stirring pleasure.

Presently one of the weakened and retreating battalions came near the king. With indignation in his eye he sprang to meet them. 'You are Swedes,' thundered he, 'and do you fly? Back to the enemy!'

'We have lost all our officers, your majesty!' cried an old corporal.

Trembling with eager desire to enter the lists, Arwed instantly threw himself out of his saddle, and asked, his foot still in the stirrup: 'may I lead these troops once more against the battery?'

'You may make the attempt!' replied the king kindly to him, and immediately galloped to the other side of the battery, where also the Swedes had begun to give ground. In a transport of joy Arwed sprang from his horse, drew his sword, and cried to the soldiers: 'in the king's name, halt, left wheel!'

The soldiers obeyed, and Arwed placed himself at their head.

'Think of the hero whose soldiers you are,' cried he: 'and of your own glory; and, in G.o.d's name, march!'

'G.o.d be with us!' cried the newly encouraged band, rushing on after their leader. Several lives were lost in the advance, but the main part, strengthened by the fragments of the other battalions, soon stood by the palisades safely sheltered from the fire of the enemy's cannon.

But now the little musket b.a.l.l.s whistled from the breastworks, and murderous grenades were bursting among them at almost every moment.

'Force out the palisades and pa.s.s the trench!' commanded Arwed, and with prodigious strength he removed some of the pales, which he placed over the hard frozen ditch and pushed forward. The soldiers followed the example, and the opposite side of the wall was soon covered with the clambering troops. The Danes defended themselves with great fury, and the dear victory was purchased with the sacrifice of many Swedish lives. Two musket b.a.l.l.s pa.s.sed through Arwed's hat, but in an instant thereafter, he stood upon the breastwork and pierced the heart of one of the marksmen with his sword. A bayonet-thrust of the other grazed his cheek. This one fell under the blows given by the clubbed muskets of the closely following Swedes, and soon the Swedish banner floated proudly over the stormed works.

Meanwhile the king, who had been attempting an entrance on the other side of the wall, hastened hither at the head of one of his battalions, and the few remaining Danes threw down their arms and begged for quarter.